Agriculture & Environment
REDD-EA Project Shares Successes as Research Dissemination Workshop Kicks-off
Published
4 years agoon
The REDD-EA project on 24th November 2020 launched a two-day National Research Dissemination Workshop to share its outputs under the theme “Forest-based emissions: Solutions for climate change mitigation, improved ecosystem health and sustainable livelihoods”. Held in Room 3.2, Central Teaching Facility 1 (CTF1), Makerere University, the workshop was officially launched by the Minister of Water and Environment, Hon. Sam Cheptoris, represented by Mrs. Mwebesa Margaret Athieno, the Ministry’s Assistant Commissioner for Forestry (Planning and Development).
REDD-EA stands for Building capacity for REDD+ in East Africa for improved ecosystem health and for sustainable livelihoods in Eastern Africa. REDD+ stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, (+) plus conserving carbon stocks, sustainable forest management and enhancing carbon stocks. REDD+ which was negotiated out of concern for the rapid loss of forests globally is aimed at rewarding actions that conserve forests and contribute to social and environmental outcomes.
With the above as its basis, the REDD-EA project goal is to contribute to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved ecosystem health for sustainable livelihoods in East Africa. The project which started in 2014 and ends in December 2020 purposed to achieve this goal by strengthening the capacity for education and research on climate change and REDD+ at Makerere and the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).
Addressing participants, the Principal Investigator (PI) REDD-EA, Prof. John Tabuti shared that the project has so far graduated 23 PhD and Masters Students, which is the largest number of graduate students of all projects funded by NORHED.
“I thank the Norwegian Government under the Norwegian Programme for Capacity Development in Higher Education and Research for Development (NORHED) for funding REDD-EA. I also thank the Government of Uganda for creating the necessary conditions for attracting the grant that funded this project and the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) for granting our students permission to conduct research in the country,” remarked Prof. Tabuti.
He equally thanked the National Forestry Authority (NFA) and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for allowing the project to conduct research in protected areas under their mandate. “I thank the Vice Chancellor-Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Principal College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES)-Prof. Bernard Bashaasha and the entire University Management for availing us an efficient environment for the management of research projects.”
In her remarks, the Chairperson NIDIC (NORHED Institutional Development and Implementation Committee) Dr. Consolata Kabonesa noted that Norwegian Government support has enabled REDD-EA to contribute to generation of research crucial to not only economic development but also sustainable livelihoods. She paid tribute to the REDD-EA Co-PIs Prof. Douglas Sheil from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and Prof. Pius Yanda from UDSM for their contribution in ensuring that the project was a success. “The research being disseminated today will support the policy informing and implementation process not only in Uganda but also internationally.”
Prof. Bernard Bashaasha in his remarks applauded the School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences (SFEGS) for creating a strong environment in which research on protecting our ecosystems has thrived. “When we take away forests, it is not only the forests that we lose but entire ecosystems that are associated with them.”
Staying with the need to conserve our forests, the Director, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT), Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi noted that the dissemination was timely to address emissions from forest cover loss. “Deforestation is the second largest source of emissions after the burning of fossil fuels and accounts for more than all the emissions from the transport sector.”
He nevertheless expressed hope that the capacity built by REDD-EA over the years would help to generate new knowledge on forest conservation and increase its uptake through translation into technologies, interventions and strategies.
“It is heartwarming to note that this project has built capacity of over 60 researchers in REDD+ business through academic exchange mobility to Norway and likewise Norwegian Professors visiting Makerere to supervise students.” said Prof. Buyinza. These include 12 PhDs – 8 from Makerere and 4 from UDSM and 35 MScs.
The Vice Chancellor in his address thanked the Norwegian Government for supporting research and staff development initiatives at Makerere University over the years through various programmes such as NUFU, NOMA and NORHED. He applauded Prof. Tabuti and his team for ensuring that communities that participated in the project have a deeper appreciation of the need to conserve forests as a mechanism for reducing carbon emissions.
“Uganda’s population is expected to reach 100 million by 2050 and the number of people living in urban areas is expected to hit 22 million by 2040. This unchecked rapid population growth and rural to urban migration will inevitably have a negative impact on our forests and environment in general unless we intervene with timely dissemination of the consequences” warned the Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Nawangwe concluded by thanking the Government of Uganda for supporting Makerere University to undertake research on unfunded priorities critical to national development through the Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF). He added that whereas the impact of Mak-RIF was beginning to be seen within a year, a lot of good research ideas from the immense capacity at Makerere had to be left out due limited resource envelope. The Vice Chancellor nevertheless expressed hope that outputs from projects like REDD-EA would be able to attract additional funding from the Government and support from development partners.
The keynote address at the research dissemination on “Uganda’s REDD+ Readiness Process: Achievements and Developments” was delivered by Mrs. Mwebesa Margaret Athieno. She assured her audience that Uganda meets all four requirements necessary to implement REDD+. These include a; REDD+ National Strategy or Action Plan, National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS), Safeguards and Safeguards Information System (SIS) and Forest Reference Emission Level (FREL).
Mrs. Mwebesa nevertheless pointed out that her Ministry still has work to do in terms of building in-country capacity for REDD+ requirements such as expertise for collecting and analyzing data for carbon reporting purposes among others. She also noted the need to promote Public-Private-Partnerships, particularly those that promote commodity value chains, especially since 70% of Uganda’s forest cover is under privately-owned land.
The Minister in his remarks read by Mrs. Mwebesa noted that the Ministry of Water and Environment with the support of partners intends to increase Uganda’s forest cover from the current 12% to 15% by the end of the Third National Development Plan (NDPIII) 2020/21 – 2024/25. Under Forest Investment Planning, the Minister shared that it was important for Uganda as the third largest refugee hosting country in the world to reduce carbon emissions caused by environmental degradation around settlements by investing in reforestation programmes.
He noted that Uganda has prepared two emission reduction project proposals for the Albertine and Kyoga Water Management Zones, which will be supported by the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. The Minister concluded his remarks by commending the Norwegian Government for supporting the Sawlog Production Grant Scheme (SPGS) and other REDD+ initiatives in Uganda. He reiterated the Government’s commitment to promote programmes such as the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) as an incentive for communities to continue preserving indigenous tree species such as the Shea nut tree and Prunus Africana.
The Research Dissemination Workshop which was moderated by Principal Public Relations Officer, Ms. Ritah Namisango also featured breakaway sessions where students presented their research findings. The sessions were on Forest Land Use and Land Cover Change (LULCC) and On Farm Tree Planting and Climate Smart Agriculture.
Article by Public Relations Office
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Agriculture & Environment
JRS Announces Grant for Young Researchers ahead of 3rd GORILLA Conference
Published
2 weeks agoon
November 6, 2024By
Mak EditorAnnouncement of JRS Biodiversity Foundation Funding for the upcoming 3rd International Conference on Geographical Science for Resilient Communities, Ecosystems and Livelihoods under Global Environmental Change International (GORILLA)
Makerere University and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) are organizing the 3rd International Conference on Geographical Science for Resilient Communities, Ecosystems and Livelihoods under Global Environmental Change (GORILLA). The conference is scheduled to take place at Hotel Africana from 4th to 6th December 2024 and will be officially opened by the Minister of State for Environment, Hon. Beatrice Atim Anywar. The GORILLA conference (https://gorilla.mak.ac.ug) which is anchored in the United Nations Global Development Agenda 2030 will be organized around 12 subthemes. Approximately 350 abstracts have been submitted and between 300-400 participants from 50 countries are expected to participate.
We are delighted to share the excellent news that the JRS Biodiversity Foundation has awarded a grant to support the participation of promising young researchers and early career scientists from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in the GORILLA Conference. This funding will enable implementation of pre-conference training activities at Makerere University, tailored to improving capabilities and competencies of emerging researchers and early career scientists from SSA. These planned pre-GORILLA conference training activities are detailed on the conference website (https://gorilla.mak.ac.ug/pre-conference/pre-conference-activities-2024) and applications are welcome from qualifying researchers and emerging scholars. Additionally, the JRS grant will support researchers and early career scientists whose abstracts have been accepted for presentation to participate in the GORILLA conference. Preference will be given to those working on biodiversity and related fields within SSA.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the JRS Biodiversity Foundation for their generous support of the 3rd International GORILLA Conference, enabling the young researchers and emerging scholars participation. The JRS Biodiversity Foundation is committed to empowering people and institutions to share and apply biodiversity knowledge across Sub Saharan Africa. Through their funding, the JRS Biodiversity Foundation strives to enhance access to and use of biodiversity information in SSA, promoting biodiversity conservation as a cornerstone of societal well-being and ecosystem health.
Agriculture & Environment
Exciting Pre-GORILLA Conference Training Opportunities
Published
2 weeks agoon
November 5, 2024By
Mak EditorMakerere University in collaboration with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) are organizing the “3rd International Conference on Geographical Science for Resilient Communities, Ecosystems and Livelihoods under Global Environmental Change” scheduled to take place at Hotel Africana from 4th to 6th December 2024. Makerere University in collaboration with other partners is organizing a series of exciting Pre-Conference training events, which will be conducted at Campus between November and December. Interested and qualifying students and staff are encouraged to apply for these exciting opportunities.
These include:
- Training on Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) for Sustainable Biodiversity Conservation: 1st to 3rd December 2024
- Training on Advanced Data Analysis and Scholarly Writing: 25th – 30th November 2024
- Hackathon on Earth Observation Data for Accelerated Actions towards Social and Ecological Resilience: 29th November to 2nd December 2024
Please see download for detailed information.
Agriculture & Environment
AfPEC Project Targets to Safeguard Ecosystems in the Mt. Elgon Region through Agroforestry
Published
2 months agoon
October 1, 2024*****Funded by DANIDA, Agroforestry for People, Ecosystems and Climate Change (AfPEC), a five-year project (March 2024-April 2029) focusing on Mt. Elgon Highlands in Eastern Uganda aims to foster to use agroforestry to prevent climate change and loss of biodiversity in the region. The project will focus on four districts namely: Mbale, Bududa, Bulambuli, and Kapchorwa. Project Partners: Makerere University, Aarhus University & University of Copenhagen (Denmark), Youth Leading Environmental Change (YLEC), Seniors without Borders, Forests of the World, Stjernekommunikation, and FrellsenKaffe. Through the project, coffee farmers in the region will be supported to export their coffee to Denmark. The project team held the inception meeting on 25th-26th September 2024 in Mbale City.
Overview
Climate change and biodiversity loss are emerging as two of the greatest environmental challenges facing humanity. In Uganda, natural ecosystems such as forests and wetlands contribute considerably to people’s livelihoods and the national economy. However, rapid population growth has led to the degradation of these ecosystems due to increased demand for firewood and the conversion of land for agricultural purposes. Furthermore, the effects of climate change, including variable rainfall patterns and higher temperatures, are leading to a rise in the frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, landslides, windstorms and hailstorms (UNEP- Ecosystem-Based Adaptation in Uganda). Failure to tackle the effects of climate change threatens the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with catastrophic consequences that will hit the poorest and most vulnerable communities first and hardest (UCL Global Governance Institute, 2021). The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 is a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems around the world, for the benefit of people and nature. It aims to halt the degradation of ecosystems, and restore them to achieve global goals.
Agroforestry as a climate change adaptation strategy
Agroforestry, the purposeful integration of trees or shrubs with crops and/or livestock at the plot, farm, and/or landscape scale, is one potential climate change adaptation strategy to increase the resilience of farmers and agricultural systems against climate risk, providing a range of biophysical and socioeconomic benefits. As highlighted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports of 2022, agroforestry is a promising agro-ecological approach to climate change adaptation because of the multitude of co-benefits that many agroforestry systems provide including, enhanced food security and income opportunities, the provisioning of ecosystem services, and biodiversity conservation (Amy Quandt, et.al 2023). Agroforestry significantly impacts the environment in diverse ways that contribute to both global environmental goals and local sustainability. Despite of the benefits, promotion, implementation and sustainability of agroforestry practices is still not well addressed.
Purpose of the AfPEC project
Coffee farmers in the Mt. Elgon Region in Eastern Uganda have traditionally with success used agroforestry that protects important water catchments and biodiversity hotspots, but these areas now experience degrading soils caused by external factors such as forest loss, soil erosion and population growth. Changes in climate have also affected farming conditions favouring more drought-resistant crops and agroforestry systems with well-developed shade. Agroforestry for People, Ecosystems and Climate Change (AfPEC), a new project funded by DANIDA aims to understand the factors that motivate coffee farmers to engage in agroforestry, and to foster the use of agroforestry to minimize the effects climate change and loss of biodiversity in the region. Specifically, the project aims to document the effects of agroforestry in terms of ecosystem services and livelihood benefits, to understand motivating factors for long-term sustainable development, and to support science-based agroforestry in practice. The project will focus on four districts namely: Mbale, Bududa, Bulambuli and Kapchorwa.
Specific objectives
The project will be implemented though five work packages in line with the objectives below;
1.Quantifying the potential of agroforestry in terms of ecosystem services – Under this objective the focus is to assess the benefits of various agroforestry systems, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and other ecosystem services. This research will help stakeholders understand the potential and limitations of different agroforestry approaches and contribute to mitigating climate change and biodiversity loss. Additionally, the findings will be used to select suitable native tree species for planting in highland coffee agroforestry systems.
2.Identifying livelihood benefits from agroforestry and key factors for long-term sustainable development.
3.Channelling scientific knowledge on agroforestry into practice –Given the urgent threats posed by biodiversity loss and climate change in Africa, it is imperative to translate scientific research into practical solutions. In collaboration with NGOs and local farming communities, the project team will disseminate user-friendly information and ensure that research findings directly benefit livelihoods and ecosystems. The goal is to increase local income through sustainable coffee production, carbon credits, and potentially, emerging markets for ecosystem services.
4. Building multidisciplinary capacity at university level –The project will train four PhD students from Uganda, and at least 12 master students from Denmark.
5. Promoting optimized agroforestry systems widely.
Partner Institutions
AfPEC is composed of seven partners: three university partners with multidisciplinary backgrounds, three Danish and Ugandan NGOs and a private communication company. All partners work in close collaboration with four coffee farmer communities. These include; Makerere University, Aarhus University (Department of Ecoscience), University of Copenhagen, Youth Leading Environmental Change (YLEC), Seniors without Borders, Forests of the World, Stjernekommunikation, and FrellsenKaffe.
Project team
The overall PI is Dr Anne Mette Lykke from Aarhus University. At Makerere, the project is coordinated by Prof. John Tabuti from the Department of Environmental Management and Prof. Frank Mugagga from the Department of Geography, Geo-Informatics and Climatic Sciences. Other participants: Aarhus University, Department of Ecoscience (Jørgen Axelsen), Makerere University (Dr Josephine Esaete and Dr Kellen Aganyira), University of Copenhagen (Ida Theilade, Nerea Turreira Garcia, Stine Kroijer), Seniors without Borders (Poul Kroijer, Lone Jacobsen, Kjeld Lanng, Frans Theilby, Lars Brodersen, Jan Thorn Clausen, Hazra Okem, Ann Grace Apiita, Emmanuel Alituha, Christopher Ejiku), Youth Leading Environmental Change (Daniel Esayu, Annet Nakkazi, Richard Tusabe), Forests of the World (Jens Holm Kanstrup, Kristian Lybæk, Abiyu Lencho), and Stjernekommunikation (Jan Stjerne).
AfPEC Inception meeting in Mbale City
On 25th-26th September 2024, the project team held an inception meeting in Mbale City to get stakeholder buy-in and concretize roles of team members. The meeting was attended by 52 participants including the project team, farmers from participating districts, RDCs from participating districts, representatives from the participating NGOs – Seniors without Borders, Youth Environmentalists leading Environmental Change (YLEC) and Forests of the World, and Graduate students attached to the project.
Presentations/remarks by the project team
In his welcome address, Prof. Frank Mugagga, one of the project coordinators at Makerere University appreciated participants for honouring and turning up for the workshop, noting that it was important for the team to establish a working relationship for smooth implementation of the project. Outlining the importance of research and partnerships towards the vision and mission of Makerere University, he expressed gratitude to the funders, and the Project PI, Dr Anne Mette Lykke for her unwavering efforts towards securing the grant.
Presenting an overview of the project, the lead Coordinator in Uganda, Prof. John Tabuti explained that although agroforestry systems have been around for long, their contribution has not been well understood and adopted. Discussing the different work packages, Prof. Tabuti said the project would document both negative and positive impacts of highland agro-ecosystems to improve their contribution to ecosystems and livelihoods.
At the meeting, the Project PI, Dr Anne Mette Lykke briefed participants on ethics and the rules governing the DANIDA AfPEC Grant. She presented the partnership grant agreement, highlighting the research ethics considerations, rules on publications, communication and dissemination requirements, and data sharing and management as guided by DFC. She urged the project team to familiarise themselves with the regulations to ensure timely delivery of the intended outputs.
In his remarks, the representative of farmer groups in Mbale District, also Chairperson of Bufumbo Agroforestry Group, Mr. Hussein Mafabi appreciated the project team and funders, noting that the initiative would greatly improve their skills in agroforestry. Highlighting the factors fuelling environmental degradation in the region, Mr. Mafabi decried the lack of a clear policy on plastic waste management, calling for support to avert the crisis. He emphasized the need to translate the project results into actual policy changes to further collaboration beyond AfPEC. “AfPEC has the support of local communities who are eager and willing to participate in the project activities,” he noted.
During the workshop, representatives from the partnering NGOs including Seniors without Borders, Forests of the World, and YLEC shared their experiences working in the region, outlining success stories in coffee agroforestry that the AfPEC project can leverage to achieve its targets. Prof. Jørgen Axelsen briefed participants on the biological pest control processes, whereas Dr James Johns from Forests of the World delivered a presentation on biomass and carbon sequestration in Uganda’s smallholder agroforestry systems. Speaking to participants, Dr Poul Kroijer (Seniors without Borders) noted that through the AfPEC project, farmers in the region will be able to export their coffee to Denmark. The team expressed willingness to support the project activities.
Presentations by MSc and PhD students supported by the Project
AfPEC project will train four PhD students from Uganda, and at least 12 master students from Denmark.
During the workshop, three Masters Students from Aarhus University, Denmark and four PhD students from Makerere University who will be conducting research on different aspects of agroforestry in the Mt. Elgon Region, Eastern Uganda presented their research ideas to participants who provided enriching feedback. These are; Smilie Nielsen (MSc Human Security) who will be examining the factors that motivate young coffee farmers in Mt. Elgon Region to engage in agroforestry, Ms. Josephine Fogt Anderson (MSc Human Security) who will be studying women-nature relations in agroforestry and planting initiatives (How gender equality can be addressed in tree planting and agroforestry projects), and Ms. Matilda Willemoes who will be exploring the potential for carbon sequestration and storage in coffee Forestry systems.
The PhD students include Mr. Patrick Kayima who will study value chain and livelihood benefits of coffee agroforestry, and Ms. Patricia Adoch who will evaluate the influence of different management practices of coffee agroforestry systems on pollinators and pests in the Mt. Elgon Region. Ms. Joyce Lunyolo will conduct research on incentives for stewardship efforts in coffee agroforestry among farmers in the region, whereas Mr. Derick Kisegu will study and document the contribution of Arabica coffee agroforestry systems in mitigation and adaptation to climate change in fragile highland ecosystems of Uganda.
The students will be supervised by academics from the partner institutions namely: Prof Anne Mette Lykke, Prof. John Tabuti, Prof. Frank Mugagga, Dr. Josephine Esaete, Prof. Ida Theilade, Dr. Kellen Aganyira, Prof. Stine Kroijer, and Prof. Katrine GroFriborg.
Remarks by the Chief Guest
Addressing participants, the Deputy RDC Kapchorwa District, Mr. Martin Sakajja, on behalf of the Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) in the project area, expressed gratitude for the initiative noting that it holds immense significance for the country and world at large. “Agroforestry represents the fusion of agricultural productivity with ecological conservation—a synergy that is critical for sustainable development in our times. For generations, rural populations have depended on agriculture as their primary source of livelihood. Yet, we know the challenges farmers face: declining soil fertility, erratic rainfall, and dwindling forest resources. Agroforestry addresses these issues by promoting sustainable agricultural practices that not only enhance food security but also generate additional sources of income from forest products such as fruits, timber, and medicinal plants. Through this project, we envision empowering farmers to increase their yields while preserving the natural resources they rely on. By embracing agroforestry, we are not only reducing our vulnerability to climate change but also contributing to global climate goals. I commend Makerere University and all the partners involved in this project for their vision and dedication,” he noted.
Remarks by the representative of Makerere University
On behalf of Makerere University, Dr Henry Ssemakula appreciated the project team for the initiative noting that it aligns with the sustainable development goals (SDGs), the National Development Plan, and the Parish Development Model. “The project is also in tandem with our strategy of transforming Makerere into a research-led University responding to national, regional, and global development challenges, and contributing to global knowledge generation. Its commitment to capacity building through Masters and PhD trainings, community engagement, and internationalization is equally commendable.” He appreciated the funders for supporting AfPEC and several other projects in Uganda.
The workshop was moderated by Dr Josephine Esaete, Dr Vincent Muwanika, and Dr Kellen Aganyira from Makerere University.
On the final day of the workshop, the project team conducted a reconnaissance tour of three research sites namely; Bufumbo in Mbale, Buginyanya in Bulambuli District, and Sipi in Kapchorwa District.
More photos from the workshop
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